Auditory Verbal Center, Inc.

Special Thanks to Flint Energies Foundation for supporting the Auditory Verbal Center!

The Flint Energies Foundation granted Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. $5,000. The requested funds will be used to support auditory-verbal therapy for hearing-impaired infants and children from disadvantaged families.

Sarah Spencer, Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. representative stated, “The Auditory-Verbal Center’s mission is to teach deaf and hearing-impaired children to develop their auditory skills and speak without reliance on sign language or lip reading, enabling them to thrive in a hearing classroom. This funding will provide critical services to help the children overcome communication barriers.”

The Flint Energies Foundation provides grants to local non-profits such as this one using money donated by Flint Energies Consumer-members through Operation Round Up®. The electric cooperative’s Members contribute $175,000 annually to the Flint Energies Foundation, which supports worthy causes in the 17 counties it serves. Operation Round Up is a way for participating Members to support multiple charitable organizations by simply allowing Flint Energies to round up their bills to the nearest dollar. Donations to Operation Round Up, which average only about $6 per year per member, are tax deductible. About 40% of Flint’s Membership participates in Operation Round Up, but that percentage continues to decline. If you are a Flint Energies Consumer-member and wish to contribute, you can sign up at www.flintenergies.com/ORU or by calling 1.800.342.3616.

The Flint Energies Foundation, a state-chartered, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, disburses all contributions to approved projects; Member contributions are not used for administration costs. Foundation Board members include Chair Joanne Hamlin, Lizella; Vice Chair Eloise Doty, Butler; Secretary Connie McCutchen, Midland; Treasurer John Luppino, Warner Robins; Gina Fink, Fort Valley; Charles Harrison, Grovania; Pat Bartness, Warner Robins; Traci Kemp, Warner Robins; Betty Chase, Oglethorpe; Roger Sinyard, Mauk; and Ian Russell, Fort Valley.

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https://people.com/two-sisters-cochlear-implants-exclusive-8670766

2 Young Sisters with Hearing Loss Get Cochlear Implants on Same Day: 'There's Nothing That These Girls Can't Do' (Exclusive) Sisters Leah and Sophie Salzberg, now 5 and 3, were born with a progressive hearing loss disorder. They both got cochlear implants on the same day, providing "a light at the end of the tunnel" for their family.

We are hiring for a part-time Development Associate who will be responsible for managing the grants process for Auditory Verbal Center, including research, cultivation, writing, submission, internal filing and documentation, communication, and tracking. They will also support the Marketing Department in leading the silent auction and raffles for our annual events such as the Gala and Golf Tournament. This position has the option of working in our office or remotely. Come join the AVC team and click the link below for more information...

Careers The Auditory-Verbal Center is expanding the Auditory-Verbal Therapy department and looking to hire a Clinical Fellow with strong background in AV training, Speech-Language Pathologist, or an already...

Debbie Brilling had the honor of being a guest speaker at the Smyrna Jonquil Lions Club yesterday presenting about the Auditory Verbal Center!

"Our June meeting was last night (25 June) and needless to say, Debbie was a big time hit. Her passion and commitment coupled with her first-hand knowledge of hearing loss and remedies was most informative and inspiring. Attendees, young and old alike, were riveted and most remained after the meeting to discuss and ask more questions."

Congratulations to Hildegard ("Hilde") and her family on graduating from the Auditory-Verbal therapy program!

Hilde has experienced a progressive vision and hearing loss due to an inflammatory disease. She began wearing hearing aids about 5 years ago. She received her first cochlear implant in December 2023 and has quickly become a fantastic listener with her CI. She currently wears a hearing aid in her left ear and cochlear implant in her right ear. Hilde knows all about her hearing technology and takes care of them independently. To know Hilde is to laugh with her – she is quick-witted, creative, and always has a riddle or joke to share. When she’s not at school or swim team practice, Hilde can be found listening to her audio books. When she gets older, Hilde wants to own an ice cream shop or train seeing eye dogs for the visually impaired – or maybe both! She is a super star listener and we can’t wait to see her listening skills continue to grow!

Joshua and Matthew are brothers who both hear with bilateral cochlear implants! During their last in-person therapy session at AVC Atlanta, the boys enjoyed using the Home Center to target therapy goals while washing dirty animals. The Home Center makes it easy to replicate the home environment which improves home carryover of therapy goals.

Need an excuse to shop? Please consider donating toys, books, and supplies from our Amazon Wishlist! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3LQ6KGWYSF0QP?ref_=wl_share

We are thrilled to welcome a new Speech-Language Pathologist to the AVC-Macon team!

Laney Swann, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

Laney Swann, M.S., CCC-SLP joined AVC in June of 2024. She was born profoundly deaf and now has bilateral cochlear implants who graduated from AVC’s program back in 2008. Laney got her bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Valdosta State University in 2021 and got her master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of South Carolina (UofSC). Laney participated in UofSC’s Cochlear Implant/Auditory-Verbal specialization track in which gave her clinical experiences to work with the deaf/hard of hearing children and their families. Laney spent her final grad school externship at Nemours Children’s Hospital and Clarke School for Hearing and Speech in Jacksonville, FL. Laney’s personal journey led to her passion of wanting to become an Auditory-Verbal Therapist and cannot wait to work along with deaf/hard of hearing children and their families.

Congratulations to Jason and his family on graduating from the Auditory-Verbal therapy program!

Jason was born with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss and was a client in our AVT program when he was younger. He used bilateral hearing aids successfully up until this year when a drop in hearing made him a cochlear implant candidate in his left ear. Jason received a cochlear implant and worked very hard on his aural rehabilitation therapy in order to learn how to hear with his new CI. Jason has now met all of his auditory goals and loves hearing with his CI! Jason is bilingual and speaks both English and Spanish. He also loves talking about superheroes and enjoys all sports—he especially loves playing baseball. We can’t wait to see all that Jason will accomplish!

Come join our team of Auditory-Verbal Therapists at the Atlanta location! We are hiring a *full-time* OR *part-time* Clinical Fellow with strong background in AV training, a Speech-Language Pathologist, or an already certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist. Click below for more information:

Careers The Auditory-Verbal Center is expanding the Auditory-Verbal Therapy department and looking to hire a Clinical Fellow with strong background in AV training, Speech-Language Pathologist, or an already...

Welcome Todd Tarrance and Mark Mesler, our two newest members of the Board of Directors!

We're honored to have such dedicated supporters of AVC joining our Board of Directors. Lending their respective expertise further enhances our ability to grow AVC's impact and ability to provide services to families throughout the state.

https://metroatlantaceo.com/news/2024/06/auditory-verbal-center-announces-new-board-director-members/

Congratulations to Alexis and his family on graduating from the Auditory-Verbal therapy program!

Alexis started AV therapy when he was 6 months old and he received bilateral cochlear implants when he was a little over a year old. Alexis was born with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss but is able to hear all the sounds in the world with his cochlear implants! Alexis and his sister both use bilateral cochlear implants and have a special bond. Alexis is bilingual and speaks both English and Spanish. Alexis loves to talk about his favorite characters-- Mario, Superman, and Spiderman. He also enjoys taking care of his pet fish and playing soccer! We will miss Alexis a lot at AVC but are so excited to see all the places he will go!

Congratulations to Jimena and her family on graduating from the Auditory-Verbal therapy program!

Jimena started AV therapy when she was 18 months old and received bilateral cochlear implants just a few months later. Jimena was born with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss but is able to hear all the sounds in the world with her cochlear implants! Jimena and her younger brother both use bilateral cochlear implants and have a unique bond over their special ears. Jimena is bilingual and speaks both English and Spanish. Jimena loves to dance and play soccer, as well as talk non-stop about her two darling dogs, Oreo and Bon Bon. Jimena is a very talented artist and loves all things pink. We will miss Jimena a lot at AVC but are so excited to see all that she will continue to achieve!

Congratulations to Yahshua and his family on graduating from the Auditory-Verbal therapy program!

Yahshua started AV therapy when he was 14 months old and he received bilateral cochlear implants a few months later. Yahshua was born with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss but is able to hear all the sounds in the world with his cochlear implants! Yahshua is bilingual and speaks both English and Spanish. Yahshua loves to sing (his favorite songs are “Cucu cantaba la rana” and “Los pollitos dicen”) and he enjoys cooking tortillas with his mother. Yahshua is also a talented artist and enjoys helping in the family garden. Yahshua loves talking about his many pets—he has 3 dogs, a cat, 9 chickens and 3 birds! We will miss Yahshua lots at AVC but are so excited to see all that he will continue to achieve!

"Bachelor" star Daisy Kent couldn't find a lot of easy-to-digest information on cochlear implants when she was preparing for her procedure last year, so she decided to write her new children's book "Daisy Doo: All The Sounds She Knew" to help children going through a similar journey. Daisy dials-in and shares profound the impact she's seen since sharing her hearing loss experience on TikTok. Pilot Pen awards Daisy's nonprofit Hear Your Heart $1,000 to celebrate her amazing new book!

'Bachelor' Star Daisy Kent's New Children's Book Helps Kids With Hearing Loss "Bachelor" star Daisy Kent couldn't find a lot of easy-to-digest information on cochlear implants when she was preparing for her procedure last year, so she ...

Thank you, Georgia CEO, for giving us the platform for Debbie Anne Brilling to share the mission and impact of AVC. It was an honor to highlight our work transforming the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

🔹 Our Mission: For over 47 years, AVC has empowered children to hear and speak without sign language or lip reading. Through specialized techniques, we help them develop listening and spoken language skills from as early as 2 months old.

🔹 Family-Centered Approach: Weekly therapy sessions and Learning to Listen Kits support families in fostering their child’s development at home. We also offer bilingual services to reach more families.

https://metroatlantaceo.com/video/2024/06/debbie-brilling-gives-overview-auditory-verbal-center/

Debbie Brilling Gives an Overview of the Auditory Verbal Center Debbie Brilling, CEO of the Auditory Verbal Center, talks about the history of the organization and the services they provide to the hearing impaired.

University of West Georgia is conducting a research project on how a targeted coaching program may improve parent-child interaction and child language skills in families of children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. If you are interested in participating in the research project, please check out the graphic below and/or you can reach out to Dr. Aleah for more information:

Aleah S. Brock, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Assistant Professor
Assistant Chair
Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Speech-Language Pathology
Program Director, Speech-Language Pathology

University of West Georgia
1601 Maple Street, Carrollton, GA 30118
678-839-6170
[email protected]

Congratulations to Sebastian and his family on graduating from the Auditory-Verbal therapy program!

Sebastian started AV therapy when he was 22 months old and he received bilateral cochlear implants a few months later. Sebastian was born prematurely and has Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder with profound thresholds bilaterally. However, Sebastian hears within normal limits with his cochlear implants! Sebastian is also bilingual and speaks both Spanish and English. Sebastian loves Minecraft, Paw Patrol, and playing with his dog Mickey. Sebastian also plays soccer and loves reading and writing. His favorite subject is math and he loves to show off his math skills! We will miss Sebastian lots at AVC but are so excited to see all the places he will go!

CMV Awareness Webinar
June 12th, 12 PM ET

Event Title: A Decade of Hope & Impact: A CMV Awareness Journey
Date: 6/12/24
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET

Description: Register for this FREE webinar to learn about cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common cause of childhood hearing loss as well as other significant neurodevelopmental complications. This webinar is brought to you by ASHA Special interest Groups 8 and 9 in collaboration with the National CMV Foundation to .

https://asha.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c45F9eSYTLmWk9wC32rU8Q #/registration

Come join our team! We are looking for a Speech-Language Pathologist to join our team at the Atlanta Location! Check out the link below for more information... https://www.avchears.org/careers.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3U9YCz5lRVJt7PBhTRzkWzlG8giPSdXtpC1hEu0XoTBkaouSsGB3QE4eA_aem_AeYh3veGg9LTa9AqV-Xub9zy1nXiNHPu8Scj4WjwxLXePKBlKTCV0lwE653jTOipxsANHYtmrDoqmm8XG35ved3B

Careers The Auditory-Verbal Center is expanding the Auditory-Verbal Therapy department and looking to hire a Clinical Fellow with strong background in AV training, Speech-Language Pathologist, or an already...

Give them 10 minutes (or less!) and will give you answers about childhood hearing loss from an experienced pediatric audiologist. Take 10 is their new series to give busy parents access to important information, carefully explained. An expert sits down to tell you all about childhood hearing loss, technology, and more.

In this video, a pediatric audiologist explains why it’s so important to keep hearing aids and cochlear implants on all waking hours. Research has shown that children with hearing loss who use their devices for at least 10 hours a day achieve age-appropriate listening and spoken language abilities, similar to kids with typical hearing. So no matter how hard curious little hands try to take them off, every time you make sure your child is wearing their devices you are helping them reach their full potential. Set your goal: 10 to win!

How Often Should a Child Wear Hearing Technology? Give us 10 minutes (or less!) and we’ll give you answers about childhood hearing loss from an experienced pediatric audiologist. Take 10 is our new series to...

The easiest way to get 15 minutes of read-aloud time in each day? Make it part of your family's routine every day! You may already be reading at bedtime, but here are some more fun times to add reading to your summer.📚

Congratulations to Jazmin and her family on graduating from the Auditory-Verbal therapy program!

Jazmin was born without auditory nerves so cochlear implants did not provide sufficient access to sound. Instead, Jazmin hears with an Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI). Jazmin’s ABI, along with AV therapy, has given her access to all the sounds in the world—Jazmin now loves to listen, talk, and sing (in both English and Spanish!). Jazmin loves music and is learning to play the guitar and piano. She also loves ballet and takes dance classes with her sister. Jazmin is a talented artist who loves pink, butterflies, and Disney princesses (especially Ariel). We are so proud of all the incredible progress Jazmin has made listening with her ABI and can’t wait to see her continue to excel and thrive!

May, being National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, is the perfect time to celebrate the resilience and determination of those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

We're thrilled to highlight the incredible work of Eli, a dedicated bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist who has been making a significant impact in the lives of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. With his expertise and compassion, Eli empowers his clients to overcome communication barriers and thrive in their personal and professional lives.

A new automated text service, HEAR, offers clear health information to—and answers questions of—families of children ages 0–3 years with suspected or confirmed hearing loss! They share free parenting tips by text, based on a child’s age and family’s location, related to milestones, social-emotional development, and parenting challenges.

Text HEAR to 274 448. Available in both English and Spanish.

Some examples they can help with:
- Hearing technology retention.
- Finding pediatric audiologists.
- Developing a “script” to talk about hearing loss with family and friends.
- Considering noise in the home.

🎉 Celebrating Speech-Language-Hearing Month!

At AVC, we know the power of play in therapy! 🌟 Each week, our individualized plans and Learning to Listen kits filled with toys and games make therapy fun and effective.

Play helps kids develop listening and language skills naturally, keeping them engaged and motivated. With the support of our dedicated team and involved parents, children graduate with age-appropriate language skills, ready to thrive in mainstream classrooms!

Join us in celebrating the magic of play and the incredible journey of our AVC families!